A Whole New Kind of Trouble II
by xbamxheartagramx
Summary: Cerberus may be gone, but there are always more fanatics willing to do the dirty work. M for language (for now). AU considering my ignorance of ME3 when I started.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: *UPDATE* So thanks to Mass Effect 3 I realized that Velarn is actually the Salarian Councilor. I apologize for the misconception. Enjoy.

"We don't actually have to do this." Garrus spoke quietly to his mate while Grunt took their son over to browse the wares of the Sirta Foundation. Shepard glanced at him. Old Garrus would never have considered directly disobeying an order from the Council. How things had changed.

"This is about more than us." She locked eyes with her mate and he nodded once in assent. They were both prepared for the worst, hands resting on their pistols at all times and eyes darting in every direction at once. Novie had earned a few odd glances, but his coat hid most of his human like features. Shepard was hoping that their son would help ease the tension between Turians and Humans. Hoping, but not expecting.

Anderson and Councilor Sparratus were in deep conversation when Shepard and her crew arrived in Anderson's office. She raised an eyebrow.

"Shepard."

"Garrus."

They spoke simultaneously. "Councilors." Shepard said crossing her arms and staring at them. Garrus stood at her side his arms hanging loosely at his side. From the look in Sparratus' eyes Shepard assumed he was being extremely disrespectful to the man's higher rank. It made her smirk.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice." Anderson said approaching Shepard and extending a hand. Shepard glanced from his hand to his face and fixed him with a glare.

"I figured if we didn't you would send an armada after us." Anderson clasped hands behind his back and puffed is chest out a little.

"You understand the importance of this." He said. Shepard was about to come up with a witty reply when Sparratus stepped forward and interrupted them.

"Where is the child?" He asked. Suddenly Garrus was between the councilor and his mate. And he was growling. Anderson backed away and Shepard watched with wide eyes. Garrus had never been so protective before. Sparratus began emitting a similar growl as the two glared at each other. Shepard could literally smell the bloodlust.

"Daddy?" Novie's small voice seemed to ring throughout the room and Garrus snorted once before taking his son's hand and bringing him forth. Shepard clasped his other hand in her own and they stood defiantly before their respective councilors. Novie glanced at his parents and then at the councilors. His brow plates pushed downward and he visibly grit his teeth together.

"Spirits…how is such a thing possible?" Sparratus said stepping forward and crouching to get a better look at Novie's face.

"Cerberus." Shepard snorted. "Who else?" Sparratus pushed Novie's hood away from his face and mumbled something about his 'odd skin color'.

"I thought you gave birth to him." Anderson seemed to be more collected than the Turian councilor and had glanced at Novie periodically out of the corners of his eyes rather than openly staring.

"I did, but only because of all the cybernetics that Cerberus put in me. My relationship with Garrus and our frequent activities altered my anatomy. I can even eat dextro food now." She gestured towards her son with her free hand. "He can eat levo and dextro food and hasn't had any reactions to humans. Dr. Solus and Officer Lawson assume he won't react to Turian's either." Her reference to the Cerberus operative earned a scowl from Anderson.

"I thought you cut all ties with Cerberus, Commander." He said all but openly accusing her of treason, again.

"I did. Officer Lawson works for Shepard now. Only Shepard. " Anderson seemed satisfied with that.

"How have you kept him a secret so long?" Sparratus asked rising, but keeping his gaze focused on the half breed before him.

"I have a close friend that has a knack for hiding information you don't want found. And for those pesky peepers I have my other close friends." Shepard tapped her holstered pistol for affect. "This brings up an interesting point. How in the hell did you find out?" Shepard took a step towards Anderson. "I have to assume it was leaked to at least the two of you. But why stop there? If someone's trying to make me look bad they sure are doing a bang up job. I haven't seen a single poster proclaiming me 'The Xenophile of the Galaxy'."

"Because I would kill them, slowly." Garrus chimed in behind her. Velarn tore his gaze from Novie long enough to gape at him. Shepard noted the look that passed between them. She would have to ask Garrus about it later.

"We received an anonymous tip." Anderson replied. Shepard glared at him, ready to demand a real answer but Novie interrupted her.

"Mommy, whats gonna happen to me?" he asked gazing up at his mother with those big ocean-esque eyes of his.

"He needs to stay here." Sparratus replied immediately. "To our knowledge we are the only ones outside of your crew that knows of him. And we have the power and authority to protect him."

Shepard's gaze fell on the now oddly protective Turian. "You make a valid point, but there's one problem: I don't trust any of you."

"You don't have very many options here, Shepard." Anderson said.

"The hell I don't." She replied. "I have ship full of people ready to throw their lives on the line to protect him. I don't need your help, Councilors." She sneered the last word and was about to turn and make a war path back to said ship when a gunshot cut through the tension in the room. Shepard and Garrus simultaneously threw Novie to Grunt who already had his arms open and ready to receive him. Both drew their weapons and flanked Grunt who had taken cover behind a nearby pillar. Sparratus yelped and fell to the floor grasping an arm that was spewing blue blood all over the floor. Anderson dove towards his weapons locker.

"Sniper!" Sparratus yelled dragging himself behind the protection of the balcony wall.

"I got 'im." Garrus said gazing through his scope. "Looks like a human." He said squeezing the trigger. Shepard noted a small explosion of red near the right of the balcony. "Scoped and dropped." He said blatantly.

"Daddy that was awesome!" Novie yelled from his position beneath Grunt.

"Stay down." Shepard said extending a hand towards her wriggling son as he tried to grapple his father. He immediately ceased all movement at his mother's extended, down-facing palm. A few more bullets embedded themselves in the pillar Grunt was taking cover behind. "Turian." Shepard said matter-o-factly. Garrus turned and they made eye contact. "Someone else knows."

A/N: Reviews are appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I know that this took forever. So sorry! Multiple technical difficulties, a corrupted file, and scads of personal stuff made this very hard to get around to. Thanks to everyone who is still reading. I know you have a waited a long time for this update. I hope it lives up to your expectations. Enjoy.

Shepard led her family and the Councilors along the Citadel's catwalks. C-sec had been alerted that assassination attempts had been made on two of the councilors. Shepard and Garrus refused to inform them of their involvement. Too many people were too well informed as it was.

"Who the hell are these pyjaks?" Grunt broke the tense silence, ever the stealthy one.

"Dead if I see one of them." Garrus replied keeping his rifle scope glued to his eye.

"Obviously not your biggest fans." Sparratus said favoring his medi-geled arm.

"Don't make me shoot you in the other arm, Councilor." Shepard retorted opening the lock to a storeroom. Garrus ran over to the other door flanking it while Shepard locked the door behind them. "We'll regroup here." She set her gun on a nearby crate and knelt in front of her son.

"Listen to me very carefully, Novie." Shepard said cradling her son's face in her hands. She could feel Sparratus and Anderson watching her closely. "You're going to have to go with Grunt while Mommy and Daddy take care of the bad guys okay?" Novie stared back her and nodded reluctantly. She kissed his forehead before taking up post opposite Garrus.

"Are you sure splitting up is a good idea, Riley?" Garrus asked where the others couldn't hear.

"We need to draw them away from him." Shepard sighed checking the sights on her pistol. "If we split up there's a better chance that they'll follow us as bait." Garrus let out a heavy breath.

"Son." He beckoned Novie over with a wave of his hand. The half-breed complied staring up into his father's face. "Whatever happens, stay with Grunt." He knelt, setting a hand on his son's shoulder. "I love you." Tears welled up in Novie's eyes and he threw his arms around his father's neck.

"I love you too, Daddy." He said between sniffles. The action was repeated with his mother.

"When we open the door I want Grunt and Novie to head right. It's a roundabout route to the docking bay, but they're less likely to anticipate it. The rest of us will go left and draw their fire. Ready?" Shepard waited for confirmation before hitting the lock and stepping out. Anderson and Sparratus followed closely at her heels with Garrus bringing up the rear. Grunt and Novie followed a few seconds later.

"See you on the other side, Kiddo." Shepard said under her breath, watching with a heavy heart as they disappeared around a corner.

"That was a tough call, Shepard." Anderson said keeping his eyes and gun on the commotion below. C-sec had cleared the streets and agents were patrolling the area. Everywhere he looked he saw possible assassins and nooks where snipers could hide.

"Grunt would die for him. If anyone can keep Novie safe, it's him." Shepard replied keeping her back to the wall.

"Movement up ahead, Ri." Garrus' voice crackled over the com. She held her hand up for silence and they moved forward.

A red beam shone out from behind a corner onto Shepard's chest plate.

"Everyone down!" She yelled firing down the catwalk and diving towards a nearby stack of crates for cover. Her shields shimmered and failed as the sniper's bullet ripped through them and embedded itself in her chest. She grunted and fell to the ground bonelessly.

"Riley!" She heard Garrus scream her name. Someone grabbed her shoulders and pulled her behind a stack of crates.

"Shepard. Can you hear me?" Sparratus' face appeared in her swimming vision but she couldn't form a reply. His omni-tool lit up above her and her suit filled with medi-gel just as her vision faded completely.

"Riley!" Garrus barely recognized his own voice as he screamed his mate's name. He watched as she fell and Sparratus drug her to cover and he saw red. Forsaking the banister he was crouching behind he stood, firing shot after shot at their assailants. His shields shimmered a few times, but he didn't notice.

After what felt like an eternity, but in reality had only been a few seconds, the shots stopped. Garrus let his arm fall to his side, rifle slipping from his limp talons. He stared at his mate where she lay limp in Sparratus' lap.

"Is…is she?" His voice was little more than a rasp, but Sparratus seemed to hear him.

"She's unconscious, Garrus, but she needs medical attention. Immediately." Anderson dropped a hand on his shoulder, trying to shake the Turian out of his stupor. "We have to get her to the Normandy." Garrus shook his head and lifted his mate tenderly out of his Councilors arms. Without a word he sprinted down the catwalks leaving the Councilors to gather themselves or be left behind.

A/N: I know it's a short update after so long, but now that I'm back on track I'm hoping to update at least once a week. Hoping. Reviews are appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I appreciate all the love. :] Yes I'm back and I plan on finishing this fucking story before the end of time. Enjoy.

Grunt and Novie navigated the catwalks with ease. Shepard was right. The assassins had been expecting them to take the direct route and their security elsewhere was lax. They met little resistance.

"Grunt?" The Krogan turned. "I think I heard Dad yell Mom's name just now." The little hybrid said looking over his shoulder in worry. Grunt let out a hearty laugh and resumed walking.

"Shepard is fine, little pyjak. Men don't stand a chance against her might." Novie nodded reluctantly and followed.

"We're almost there, Riley, just hold on." Garrus mumbled to his mate as they ran down a maintenance staircase and onto the docking bay. "Hold on."

C-sec agents swarmed to escort them onto the Normandy.

"Coucilors!" Commander Bailey approached at a jog. "Is everyone alright?" He caught sight of Shepard's limp form. "I-is that Shepard? Christ. What the hell is going on?"

"Commander, I'm sorry, but we don't have time to explain." Anderson said slowing his pace so that Bailey could fall into step with him. "Right now we need to concentrate on getting everyone onto the Normandy. Has anyone else arrived?"

"No, sir." Bailey replied. "You're the only people we've seen since we locked down."

"Okay. Tell your men to search the area for a Krogan and a child. They should be here soon." Anderson said jogging up to the airlock that Garrus and Sparratus had already disappeared through.

"What the hell happened?" Chakwas demanded as Garrus lay Shepard on a gurney and Sparratus took a seat at another.

"We were ambushed at my office." Anderson said. "We took the catwalks back here and a sniper got Shepard."

Chakwas set about removing Shepard's chest plate and under suit. She winced at the sight of her commander's chest ripped open.

"Concussive rounds." Sparratus said his eyes focused on Garrus. The turian hadn't uttered a word or moved from Shepard's side since he set her down. Sparratus slid off the gurney and pulled Garrus aside.

"Garrus." He said shaking the turians arm. Garrus tore his eyes away from Shepard's mangled form. "Are you bonded?" Garrus was silent for a few moments before he nodded.

"Right after Novie was born we did it. Shepard wanted to wait to get the clan markings though."

_She was so beautiful. Standing there before him in a white gown with flowers braided in her hair. It wasn't a real wedding per say. Just the two of them, in a secluded area of the Presidium, the artificial sun setting around them. _

"_I know this is cheesy." She said taking his hands in hers and avoiding his gaze._

"_Riley, this is a huge step for both of us. I don't care where we are or how 'cheesy' it might be. I'm just happy to be with you." Garrus wiped a tear off of her cheek and she smiled brightly at him._

"_Well there's usually a minister involved." Shepard said shrugging awkwardly. "And vows."_

"_I can make you a vow, Riley." Garrus said pulling her close and leaning down to whisper in her ear. "I vow to spend every moment of my life loving you, caring for you and building our family with you. I vow to be at your side through every struggle. I vow to protect you and our son as long as my body allows. I will always be here, Riley. I will always love you." Garrus pressed his lip plates against both her cheeks and touched his forehead to hers._

"_That is the sweetest fucking thing anyone has ever said to me, Garrus." Shepard said laughing through her tears. "So, if I remember correctly, in order for this to be complete you have to bite me." _

"_Uhm, well…yes." Garrus pulled away so he could see her face. "But if you aren't ready yet-"_

"_No, Garrus. I'm ready. I've never been more ready for anything before. I want this." Shepard smiled and caressed his scarred face. Garrus let out a breath. _

"_Okay. This is going to hurt though." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the juncture between her neck and shoulder before sinking his teeth into her flesh. Shepard tensed but kept silent._

"Garrus…Garrus…Vakarian." Garrus shook himself out of the memory and focused on the councilor again. "You do understand that if she dies, you will too?" Sparratus stared at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Yes, I know."

"Shit. Doctor, you have to save her." Sparratus said turning to the human. "Or we'll have two bodies on our hands." Chakwas nodded.

"How bad is it, Karin?" Garrus asked stepping closer to the gurney. Chakwas had stopped the bleeding.

"She's lost a lot of blood, but it looks like the bullet missed any vital organs. I've removed the bullet and stitched the wound. Her cybernetics will repair the rest. I'm worried about the blood flow to her brain, though. She could slip into a coma." The doctor's face set in a deep frown.

Garrus let out a shaky breath. "What are her odds?"

"Right now its touch and go." Chakwas said stripping off her bloody gloves. "We just have to wait and see. If she wakes up, great and if she doesn't we go from there." She set a comforting hand on Garrus' elbow and he nodded silently.

"I'm going to keep an eye out for Grunt and Novie." Garrus said, glancing at his mate longingly before exiting the Med Bay.

Once outside he walked up to Commander Bailey. "Garrus." Bailey extended a hand in greeting and Garrus shook it. "I have men searching for Grunt and your boy. Congratulations on that, by the way." Bailey smiled despite the situation.

"Thank you." Garrus replied. "Any sign of them?"

"Nothing ye-" Bailey's com beeped. "What is it, Haron?" Bailey nodded once and sighed. "Shit."

"What is it?" Garrus watched the commander reach for his firearm.

"We found them!" Bailey yelled jogging towards the exit. "But the assassins are in hot pursuit. Sounds like your Krogan is injured!" Garrus took off after him, pulling his sniper rifle out of its weapon slot as he did.

"Where?" Garrus demanded, his longer stride catching up with Bailey.

"They're still on the catwalks. Heading this way. ETA two minutes."

Garrus sprinted forward, heading towards the maintenance stairway. He took the steps two at a time and nearly barreled right into the door in his haste. He heard Grunt before he saw him.

"I'm gonna need a snack after this!" The Krogan bellowed as he turned the corner, pushing Novie ahead of him. "Run, little pyjak!" Grunt limped heavily, his left leg spewing blood every time he put any weight on it. It must have been excruciating, but the Krogan didn't pay it any mind as he aimed his shotgun behind him and fired until the heat sink popped out.

Garrus raced forward, attempting to meet his son in the middle. "Novie!" He yelled. The hybrid ran towards his father as fast as his little legs would carry him.

Without warning, a shape appeared out of the wall and grabbed him. "Daddy!" The boy screamed reaching for his father.

"Novie no!" Garrus roared and watched helplessly as his son and the infiltrator fell over the banister.

"Get down, idiot!" Grunt yelled gesturing towards the two assailants hot on his heels. Garrus pulled his rifle up and fired, one fell and a second later his partner followed. Garrus returned his attention to the floor below, but it was empty.

"Spirits..no!" Garrus fell to his knees and screamed out his rage. "No, no, no…" Grunt fell beside him, his leg finally unable to support his weight any longer. Garrus' com beeped.

"Garrus, Bailey here. Is everyone alright?"

"No, Commander." Garrus said his voice growing dark. "We are not."

A/N: Yea, you should've expected that. I will be out of town next week so there may or may not be an update. I sure will try though. Reviews are appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for the feedback. :] As far as future children, you'll just have to wait and see…Enjoy.

Garrus sat in the Mess Hall staring at a random spot on the table, but not really seeing it. Anderson and Sparratus sat on either side of him.

"C-sec combed every inch of the Citadel, but they didn't find him." Anderson dropped the datapad he had been reading on the table. It echoed in the silent room. Garrus barely acknowledged him. "They did gather all of the corpses and one man who was bleeding profusely at the neck. Bailey is keeping him in a holding cell. He's unconscious, but alive. Dr. Michel is fixing him up."

"Did they find anything on the bodies?" Sparratus asked rolling his injured shoulder experimentally. He grimaced at the discomfort and shook it off.

"Not much. Their omni tools are all encrypted. The techs are trying to break it now." Anderson replied fidgeting with a bit of lint on his pant leg.

"The captive." Garrus said, startling both of the councilors. "What is he?"

"Turian." Anderson said lacing his fingers together on the table. "No name as of yet."

Garrus' talons scraped across the table top making a high pitched whine that sent shivers through anyone within earshot.

"Garrus, I know this is difficult." Sparratus said staring at the younger turian. "But we need to find out as much about these people as we can. We need to know what they want with your son."

"Tell Bailey I want to know as soon as he's able to speak." Garrus said, rising from his seat and ignoring the councilor completely.

Sparratus sighed. "I don't want to know where he is right now."

"No one does." Anderson replied firing up his omni tool and relaying the message to Bailey.

"How is she doing?" Garrus asked as he entered the Med Bay. Shepard looked like hell. He couldn't imagine how she'd look when he told her what had happened. How useless he had been.

"Her vitals are strong." Chakwas said approaching the gurney. "No neurological changes yet." She laid a hand on Garrus' arm. "Garrus, I'm so sor-"

"No." He said turning his gaze on her. It was so cold that she shivered. "Don't apologize to me." He took a deep breath. "I was so useless, Karin. I froze. Me! I was so terrified that if I tried to take a shot that I'd hit Novie. And I just…"

"No, Garrus." Chakwas cut him off with a scowl. "You did everything you could and if you thought that there was even the slightest possibility that you would hit Novie you made the right decision." Garrus nodded but remained unconvinced.

"Vakarian." Grunt sat on a gurney farthest from the door with his injured leg bandaged and propped up on a pillow. Garrus approached slowly.

"Grunt." He said trying to keep the animosity out of his voice. He knew that Grunt had done everything he could to keep Novie safe, but it was hard not to blame him.

"I am ashamed." Grunt said staring blankly at the sheets. Garrus started. He hadn't expected that. "You and Shepard trusted me and I failed. I don't deserve you as battle masters." Garrus sighed.

"I know you did everything you could. It wasn't your fault." Garrus dropped a hand on Grunt's shoulder.

"It doesn't matter. I failed." Grunt shook his head and turned to stare at the wall with the same emptiness in his eyes. Garrus realized for the first time that Grunt wasn't merely protecting Novie because he had been ordered to, but because he truly cared for the child. Novie was a symbol to Grunt in more ways than Garrus could possibly understand. A symbol of impossible life.

"No one failed more than I did today." Garrus replied. "I'm his father." Grunt stared at Garrus for a moment and nodded. Having a pity party wasn't going to change anything.

"I'm ready when you are." The Krogan said. Garrus nodded and took his leave.

He stepped into the elevator with his head spinning. It was hard to discern if the cause was exhaustion, shock, or Shepard's weakened state finally affecting him. Maybe all three. He stepped off into their cabin, keeping his eyes from straying to the small bed that had taken up residence where the couches and coffee table once sat. He stripped off his armor and tossed it haphazardly on the floor before falling into bed. He barely had the energy to pull the sheets over his naked form before falling into darkness.

"_Look at him!" Shepard exclaimed, hands on her hips as she watched her nine-month-old son scoot across the floor. "I can't believe he's crawling so well already!"_

_Garrus scooped the child up in his arms and Novie squealed in glee. "That's my boy." He said nuzzling his son's bony forehead. "Soon he'll have the run of the place." Garrus tossed the baby up in the air laughing as Novie squealed again._

"_Dadadadada!" Novie said bouncing in his father's arms._

"_The one and only." Garrus replied knocking his forehead softly against his son's and handing him off to his mother. _

"_When will you be back?" Shepard asked pulling a lock of her hair out of her son's clawed hands._

"_Hopefully by dinner." Garrus said pulling a coat on over his civvies. He pressed a chaste kiss to his mate's cheek and rubbed Novie's head affectionately. The tiny, almost invisible hairs tickled his naked hand. "Bailey wants to go over some security protocols to prevent another Cerberus incident."_

"_Hurry back." Shepard said. "You never know, he might be walking by then." _

_Garrus laughed and stepped into the elevator._

"_I love you." She said smiling._

"_And I love you." He replied._

Garrus awoke, alone and cold in his bed. He shook his head in an effort to ward off the grogginess and the migraine he felt coming along. The memory pierced his heart and he prayed that he would see his son again. His omni tool beeped, reminding why he was awake in the first place. A glance at the clock on the nightstand told him that he'd only been asleep for a few hours. He pulled up the message from Dr. Chakwas, telling him to report to the Med Bay immediately. Garrus jumped out of bed and dashed for the elevator, stopping momentarily to tug on a pair of sweatpants.

"Garrus." Dr. Chakwas said in greeting. "Shepard's showing some neurological activity." The doctor busied herself with checking monitors and shining light over Shepard's closed eye lids. "You see that spike in activity when I shine the light in her eyes?" Chakwas asked pointed to a monitor displaying an image of Shepard's brain. Garrus nodded. "She wasn't doing that an hour ago."

"What do you need me to do?" Garrus asked tugging awkwardly at his sweatpants.

"I expect for her to wake within the next few hours. You need to be the first person she sees. So you can tell her…" Chakwas trailed off and she sighed.

"It's okay, Karin." Garrus set a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you called." Chakwas nodded and Garrus pulled a chair up next to Shepard's cot. For now he would wait.

A/N: Its short. I know. Sue me. There probably isn't going to be an update next week because I'm going to Texas to see my husband before he leaves for Afghanistan. A three hour layover with a nine month old. Pray that I keep my sanity. Reviews are appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you guys for the well wishes and understanding. At least I'm writing again, right? I hope you enjoy.

Shepard's head was pounding. She reached a hand up to her forehead, but only made it halfway there before pain exploded in her chest. She grunted and someone pressed her arm back onto the mattress.

"Don't try to move yet, Commander." That was Dr. Chakwas. Was she in the Med bay again? Fuck.

"What happened?" She asked opening her eyes slightly so she wouldn't be blinded by the fluorescent lighting.

"You were shot." Garrus this time. She smiled in spite of the pain and her hand twitched. His three fingers grasped it.

"Lucky me." She said turning to look at him. She almost wished she hadn't. He looked awful. His plates were pale and he was slumped in the chair like it was too much to even sit up straight. But it was his eyes that told her something was terribly amiss. They were sunken in more so than was normal and full of so much sorrow that she felt tears pricking in hers. "What's wrong?" She asked stroking the back of his hand.

Garrus looked up at the Doctor and then away at a random corner of the room. Shepard's heart tightened. She remembered that look. The one she had seen when they found out that she was pregnant and he was convinced he was going to lose someone. The same look he had when she rescued him from Omega. Hopeless. Terrified. Empty.

_Novie._

Shepard swallowed the lump in her throat. "Garrus, where is our son?" She knew before he shook his head that she didn't want to hear the answer. She pulled herself into a sitting position, ignoring the pain and throwing Dr. Chakwas a venomous glare when she protested. "Vakarian." She said her Commander face firmly in place. "Where is my child?"

Garrus' head fell. "They took him, Riley." He said, his sub-harmonics flanging wildly. "He was just out of my reach and…and they got him."

Shepard felt her whole world shatter.

Her breathing became erratic and she was vaguely aware of the machines beeping madly. Chakwas was telling her to lay back and try to calm down and Garrus…Garrus couldn't even meet her gaze. Her body was hot and she felt like an elephant was sitting on her chest.

Her son was gone. Those bastards stole him. _Her baby_.

Finally Dr. Chakwas managed to push her back and get an oxygen mask over her face. Garrus met her gaze and the deep sadness she saw there calmed her rage minutely.

_It wasn't his fault. Don't blame him._

"Get out." She said. Even though it was muffled by the mask she knew he still heard her. He didn't say anything. Didn't protest. Just stood up, pressed his lip plates against her forehead, and walked out.

Shepard didn't watch him leave.

It was dark and cold. Novie shivered uncontrollably, his turian half demanding that he find a source of heat before his body began to shut down. He rubbed his arms where they curled around his knees and sniffled.

A door opened in the windowless room, blinding white light pouring over his hunched form. A figure stepped in.

"Get up, boy." The voice was gruff, but obviously human. Novie stayed put in refusal. "I said stand!" The human wrapped a calloused hand tightly around Novie's forearm and jerked him to his feet. The hybrid forced himself to keep the cry of terror in his throat.

"Don't touch me." He said and pulled his arm away. That earned him a wicked backhand across the temple. He smacked into the wall behind him and lay there in a daze for a moment.

"Do as you're told and there won't be any more of that." The man said, spitting on the ground by Novie's face. He raised his lip in annoyance and rose to his feet.

"Not so hard, is it?" The man grabbed a handful of Novie's coat and shoved him towards the door. The boy stumbled, but caught himself before he fell.

Novie scanned his surroundings the way his parents had taught him, committing every detail to memory. The building had two floors. The bottom floor extended below the top and housed an array of crates and a solitary unmarked shuttle. Men and women milled about patrolling, talking and playing cards at a table in the middle. All were either human or turian.

The top floor was made up of four rooms and a balcony, his prison being the farthest from the stairs. He couldn't see into the next two rooms they passed as the doors were closed, but the one at the top of the stairs seemed to be set up as a center of operations. The man shoved him into it.

Two turians and three humans sat at a table discussing something he couldn't hear and passing data pads around. They ceased all activity when he entered. He tried to keep from visibly shrinking under their stares. No one on the Normandy ever looked at him like that, in _disgust_.

He memorized their features. Two of the humans were male; one with short blonde hair and a scar on his cheek, the other had brown hair, streaked with gray and white and dark brown eyes. The other human was female, her sandy locks pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck, one of her blue eyes covered by a patch. The turians were both male. One was gray, his face bare of any clan markings, and the other was dark brown, green and purple markings flowing over his mandibles and cheek bones.

Novie decided he hated them.

"Do you know why you're here, child?" The brown turian spoke, hands clasped on the table. Novie stared at him for a moment in silence before shaking his head. The man had the gall to _smile_.

"He doesn't need to know." The bare-faced turian interjected. "He doesn't have any rights." The way he glared at Novie made his legs quiver uncontrollably. That man hated him passionately.

"Be reasonable, Fharik." The brown turian said in a voiced coated with the fake kindness that Novie had heard his mother use when talking to the Council. "As a sapient being he has the right to know why we abducted him." Fharik snorted, but didn't protest. Satisfied that there wouldn't be any more interruptions the turian addressed Novie once again.

"We have brought you here because we wish to learn from you."

"I'm five." Novie replied. That earned a chuckle from the brown turian and even the older human cracked a smile.

"I am not referring to your knowledge, child. It is your existence that interests us." Novie contemplated that for a while. His parents had told him very little of how he had come to be. Only that it was a miracle since turians and humans couldn't reproduce. Or they weren't _supposed_ to be able to. As far as anyone knew, he was the only member of his species. While that usually made him feel kind of special, he would've given just about anything to be normal right now.

"I don't know what you expect to find." Novie said, his subvocals flanging angrily. "But when my parents find this place, and they will, it won't end very well for you."

"Get that brat out of here!" Fharik slammed his hands down on the table and snarled. Novie's escort practically dragged him back to his cell where he deposited him unceremoniously on the floor. The door closed with a hiss behind him, sealing the boy in darkness once more.

"What an insufferable little shit." Fharik snorted crossing his arms angrily and leaning back in his chair. His only company was the human female, Mandy. Marty? Whatever. It didn't matter.

"I don't know what you expected." Mandy/Marty said, barely hiding a smirk. "He's the child of Commander Shepard."

"Fear. Fear is what I expected." Fharik replied with an exasperated sigh.

"Get used to being let down then." She said, rising from her chair and lighting a cigarette. She flicked some ash on the floor and picked up a data pad. "From what I hear this Vakarian guy isn't exactly a push over either. He was at her side for everything since Saren."

"Vakarian isn't a problem." Fharik replied. Mandy/Marty glanced him through the smoke rising between them.

"I wouldn't bet on that."

A/N: Sorry this took longer than expected. Wanted to give a little insight on Novie's captors though. Reviews are appreciated :]


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I know this took way too long. The POV's are a little weird here. I bounce back and forth between Shepard and Garrus so I'm sorry if it's confusing. Enjoy.

One week later. The longest, most _excruciating_ week of Shepard's life and she was finally healed enough to leave the Med Bay with orders from Dr. Chakwas not to over exert herself.

"_Hurting yourself won't help Novie." Chakwas said handing the Commander a bottle of painkillers. _

_Shepard stayed silent. She had nothing to say. Nothing to feel. Her only concern being the safe return of her child._

_She would gladly lay down her life, again, to get him back._

"Riley." Garrus nodded to her as he stepped into the elevator and selected the CIC.

"Garrus." Shepard replied standing at parade rest, her back straight and feet shoulder width apart. She knew deep inside that Garrus had done everything he could to help their son. That he was suffering just as much as she was. But in order to keep the rage bubbling just beneath the surface from erupting forth she opted to distance herself from everyone. Even her mate.

"Dr. Chakwas informed me to keep you out of combat for a while." Garrus said, shuffling next to her nervously.

"I highly doubt that this interrogation is going to require much physical exertion. Provided the bastard is smart enough to tell us everything he knows." Shepard replied keeping her voice even and forcing the sick pleasure she felt from showing. How she hoped he would resist. She wanted to beat the living _shit_ out of something.

"Just be careful…please." Garrus set a talon on her shoulder and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She nodded once and shrugged his hand off. He stepped away with a sigh.

The doors slid open and Shepard stepped out. Her boots clomped heavily on the floor as she stalked calmly to the air lock. Crew members watched her stride by, fear shining in their curious glances. Shepard couldn't help the smirk that grew on her face. She must look like some sort of modern day Darth Vader, earning the fear of anyone she passed.

Joker looked back at her over his chair as she waited for the air lock to open. She glanced at him and he nodded. _Give 'em hell for me. _She smiled at him, letting the hate spill onto her features for a moment. _That is a guarantee_. The doors opened and Shepard stepped through, the calm Commander expression on her face once more. She barely acknowledged Garrus' presence at her back.

The turian in the holding cell was normal in every sense of the word. Nothing stood out about him. He was built just like every other turian she had ever seen, his dark blue plates were dull, the gray eyes staring straight ahead even more so. The only anomaly was the lack of clan markings.

Shepard's greens narrowed as she watched him recline back in his chair. The bastard had the gall to _relax_ right now? The walls were going to be spattered blue when she was done with him.

Commander Bailey approached with a data pad in hand. "Garrus, Shepard, it's good to see you in good health." Bailey nodded at them each in turn, his gaze holding theirs for less than second before dropping. Words were unnecessary. It was obvious how broken they were. He held the data pad out, but Shepard shook her head.

She didn't want to know who this bastard was. If he had a family or friends. She refused to feel guilty about what she was about to do.

"We are not to be disturbed." Shepard said nodding towards the cell. "Leave the cameras on if you must, but do not interrupt. Spectre authority and all." Bailey nodded and Shepard got the impression that there would be some technical difficulties in the near future. Without another word Bailey unlocked the cell and Shepard stepped through with Garrus on her heels. For the first time since she learned of her son's capture she was glad to have him at her back.

"Of course." The turian shook his head when they walked in and a dry chuckle escaped his throat. "So who's good cop and who's bad cop?"

"Sorry." Garrus said, his subvocals flanging slightly with barely contained rage. "We left all the good cops outside." He turned and locked the door while Shepard took up post behind the prisoner. He shifted slightly, the action revealing how uncomfortable he was with her being out of sight or Garrus' comment. Probably both.

Garrus met Shepard's eyes over the turian's head. Some unspoken message passed between them and he stepped up so that he was less than a foot away from their captive.

"Who do you work for?" He asked, clasping his hands behind his back to keep from beating the answers out of the turian scum.

"Don't you even want to know my name?" The blow was lightning fast. If there wasn't blood dripping from the turian's nose and Shepard wasn't suddenly standing at his side rather than behind him Garrus wouldn't have known anything had happened.

"I don't give a flying fuck who you are." Shepard growled her teeth clenched so tightly it was painful. "Answer our questions and you might leave here with all of your limbs attached. Doubtful, but it's a possibility."

The turian coughed, blue blood soaking into his under suit. "Got yourself a keeper here, Vakarian." He said. Garrus' hands clenched behind his back, but Shepard let another fist fly and he thought he heard her break the sound barrier before a crack split the turians left brow plate open and blood oozed into his eye. He groaned and his head fell back against the chair.

"Two strikes, fucker." Shepard said. "One more and you're gonna lose more than a little blood." Garrus' mandibles went slack in shock. He thought that he had seen all sides of his mate, but blatant torture was something he hadn't thought she was capable of. She never ceased to surprise.

Shepard raised her arm again when she decided he'd been quiet too long. "Alright!" The turian yelled desperately. "Spirits…just don't hit me again." He coughed and shook his head in an attempt get the blood out of his eye. Shepard and Garrus were more than happy to ignore his discomfort.

"Start talking, Cuttlebone." Shepard kicked his chair as she passed and stood next to her mate, arms crossed and one hip cocked to the side. Garrus forced himself not to be offended at the term.

"I work for a group of people that are…interested in your son." The turian said still attempting to shake the blood off his face.

"Interested how?" Garrus asked after deciding that his mate was going to let him do the talking.

"Multiple reasons." He replied. "Mostly how his conception was possible!" The turian added when  
>Shepard let loose a growl that was menacing even by turian standards.<p>

"So, you fucks want to know how a human and a turian reproduced?" Shepard spoke this time, fury rolling off her in hot waves.

"Yes."

"I know I'm one of the smartest people in the galaxy by far, but did the option of asking us even cross your twisted little minds?"

The turian paused at her question taking a moment to really think it over. "I…well I'm just a grunt. I don't really know what the reasoning was." He shook his head again. "We were given orders and we followed them." Shepard let out a bark of laughter that had both turians staring at her in shock.

"Well, aren't you just the fucking turian poster boy." Shepard strode forward with a sneer, her steps echoing loudly in the room until she was leaning over him with her hands braced on his cuffed ones. "Where's the base?"

"Omega." The turian gasped out, terror obvious in his subvocals. "I don't know anything else I swear." His mandibles tightened against his face in preparation for another strike.

"Then you are of no use to me." Shepard pulled her pistol and before Garrus could reach her she fired.

The turian stared disbelievingly at the hole in his chest before his body seized, blood coating the chair and floor. Garrus stared at his mate as she watched the turian die. Not moving until his body stilled and his eyes gazed lifelessly ahead. Then she stepped out of the room like she hadn't just killed someone.

_Not the walls, but close enough._

-A/N: So that was incredibly fun to write. Guess that speaks volumes about me, huh? Review and stuffs. I like feedback.


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